France issues ultimatum to United Kingdom

Fishing boats, off Jersey, May 6, 2021.

“replica”, Even that “the revenge” The tone is rising in the French side, in the case of a license granted by the United Kingdom to French fishermen modestly.

“In about a week or two, we will announce measures of response, retaliation, retaliation, if necessary, national or European, if we do not have concrete British signals on the issue of licenses”, declared, in the Senate, French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clement Beain, Wednesday, 13 October.

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France in particular is threatening to cut electricity supplies to Jersey and take measures in the financial services or research sector.

“We were very patient, very patient” (…) The British do not want to grant a certain number of licenses, not because they lack information, but because they have made this political choice.”, attacked the Secretary of State.

200 out of 244 licenses granted

After the Brexit agreement reached late last year between London and Brussels, European fishermen can continue to operate in some British waters, provided they obtain a license, provided they can prove they have fished there before. Was . But the French and British debate the nature and extent of supporting documents to be provided.

read also Paris urges Brussels to be “firm” with London over fishing

In the still-disputed fishing areas (6–12 miles of British coasts and the Channel Islands), London and Jersey have granted over 200 fixed licences, while Paris is still seeking 244.

“It’s not a French problem (…) It’s a European problem”, emphasized Clement Bouin, who recalls that Belgium and Ireland are also concerned. “We are mobilizing our European partners”, she added.

Eleven countries, including France, which called for a European front against London following British decisions on fishing licences, signed a joint declaration on Monday criticizing the United Kingdom’s reactions to the issue.

The signatories to this declaration are Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.

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AFP. world with

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